NORRISTOWN – A Towamencin woman has admitted that she was driving drunk when she struck and killed a 15-year-old boy walking with friends on a Hatfield roadway and then left the scene.

Sarah Ann Derstein, 32, of the 100 block of Clemens Court, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Court on Wednesday to charges of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence of alcohol, DUI and accidents involving death or personal injury in connection with the 11:30 p.m. April 26, 2013, crash on Bethlehem Pike that claimed the life of Dennis Kee of Hatfield.

President Judge William J. Furber Jr. remanded Derstein to the county jail to await sentencing. Derstein faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 to 30 years in prison on the charges and the homicide by vehicle while DUI charge also can carry a possible mandatory sentence of three years in prison.

The judge ordered that Derstein undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation and a background investigation in preparation for sentencing. Assistant District Attorney Jordan Friter is prosecuting the case and Derstein is represented by defense lawyer Marc Steinberg.

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With the charges, prosecutors alleged Derstein’s blood-alcohol content was 0.167 percent, which is more than twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent. Derstein allegedly told detectives she consumed three beers while patronizing a Hatfield bar for several hours before the crash.

Kee was pronounced dead at 12:35 a.m. at Lehigh Valley Cedar Crest Hospital where he was transported after the crash. An autopsy determined the cause of Kee’s death to be multiple blunt force injuries.

A second 15-year-old boy, Deshawn Page, also was struck and injured by Derstein’s vehicle during the crash that occurred in the southbound lanes of Bethlehem Pike, or Route 309, near Mill Road, authorities alleged.

The investigation revealed Kee was walking in a southerly direction with four friends along the shoulder of southbound Bethlehem Pike when he and Page were struck by Derstein’s southbound vehicle, a 2007 Toyota Corolla. Kee was catapulted over the guardrail and landed in a field 10-15 feet from the roadway while Page suffered a broken elbow as a result of the crash.

Derstein left the scene while Kee’s friends ran to a nearby shopping center to call for help.

A review of Derstein’s cell phone records allegedly revealed she continued to travel southbound on Route 309 after the crash to the area of Ogontz Avenue and Cheltenham Avenue in Philadelphia.

Derstein returned to the area of the crash about 12:22 a.m., and reportedly told a fire police officer who was directing traffic that she hit something on Route 309. Police officers responded to Derstein’s location and observed fresh, front-end damage to her vehicle, according to court papers.

Officers who spoke with Derstein suspected she had been drinking alcohol and requested she take a blood test.

Derstein allegedly later told detectives she didn’t see the juveniles prior to, or after hitting them. She claimed she did not know what she hit, court papers indicate. Derstein also told investigators that she has a prior arrest for being an impaired driver in April 2011, according to the arrest affidavit.

Initially, authorities had alleged that Derstein was both drunk and reading a text message at the time of the deadly crash.

“Derstein admitted that she was reading a text message on her cell phone at the time of the crash, “county Detective David Schanes and Hatfield Township Police Sgt. Jeffrey Boyd alleged in the criminal complaint.

A search of Derstein’s phone uncovered that Derstein was involved in text message communications with another person in the minutes leading up to the crash and after, according to the arrest affidavit.

Just 13 minutes before the crash Derstein received a text that read: “Did ur weed man come thru?” according to the arrest affidavit. At 11:24 p.m. Derstein responded with a text message, “On my way.”

When the second party texted Derstein at 11:38 p.m., asking Derstein about her estimated time of arrival, Derstein allegedly responded with a text “I’m not coming. I just got in an accident,” according to the arrest affidavit.

Derstein sent another text to a relative at 11:40 p.m. allegedly stating, “I’m an idiot. Just got in n accident and I drove away.”

While the subject of some of the text message communications was “weed,” a search of Derstein’s vehicle also uncovered a small amount of marijuana inside a cigarette pack, according to court papers.

In exchange for her guilty plea to the most serious charge, other charges of prohibiting text-based communications, reckless and careless driving, recklessly endangering others and possessing a small amount of marijuana are slated to be dismissed against Derstein at time of sentencing, court papers indicate.

About the Author

Carl Hessler Jr. writes about crime and justice at the Montgomery County Courthouse for The Mercury and 21st Century Media Newspaper’s Greater Philadelphia area publications. A native of Reading, he studied at Penn State University and Kutztown University before graduating from Alvernia University with a degree in communications. He is a recipient of a National Headliner Award and has been honored for his writing by the Keystone Press Association, Philadelphia Press Association, Society of Professional Journalists and the Associated Press Managing Editors of Pennsylvania. Reach the author at chessler@pottsmerc.com
or follow Carl on Twitter: @MontcoCourtNews.